Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 27, 1992 TAG: 9203270371
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Charles Simmons, Apco vice president, and leaders of two anti-power line groups agree - for the first time - that Boucher probably will speak against the proposal. Apco wants to build a 765,000-volt line from Wyoming County, W.Va., to Cloverdale.
Kevin Burke of Boucher's staff said he does not know what the congressman will say, but he is scheduled to talk about the line at an 11:45 a.m. news conference at Roanoke Regional Airport.
Boucher, who represents Craig County, where the line is to run, "is in a real tough spot," said Ellen Coleman, a leader of Citizens for the Preservation of Craig County.
If he opposes the line, Boucher will please his Craig constituents who are almost unanimous in their opposition.
But he will risk antagonizing residents of Wise County, where a power plant employing 185 people may be built if the line is approved.
Coastal Corp., parent of ANR Coal Co. of Roanoke, and a Finnish partner won a federal grant that will pay almost half the cost of a $219.1 million coal-gasification power plant planned near Coeburn. The plant hinges on a connection with the high-voltage line from West Virginia, Coastal officials have said.
Boucher has reserved comment on the line, which is opposed by many environmental groups and supported by business and chambers of commerce. Apco says it will need the line by 1998 to provide for growth, but opponents question the need for more power.
Boucher has been conducting his own study of the plan and he has assigned Ridge Schuyler of his staff to study the proposal.
Simmons, vice president of construction and maintenance and Apco's major spokesman for the line, said Boucher "has not been supportive" of the utility. Simmons' best guess is that the congressman will be against the line.
On the other hand, he said, Boucher's stand for legislation to open access to utilities' transmission systems "should make him a proponent" of the 765-kilovolt line.
"We anticipate Boucher being an ally of ours" in the opposition, said Jeff Janosko of the Roanoke County Preservation League.
Carrie Crawford, liaison from the Craig County organization to Boucher's office, said she has encouraged the congressman to oppose the line. She said the line "certainly will be detrimental to Craig County and the 9th District."
Crawford said Apco will use the line to transmit electricity generated by Western coal, a charge denied by the utility. Apco said it plans no change in its source of coal, now mined in West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia.
Coleman of the Craig County organization said, "My sense is that he [Boucher] will withhold judgment until all the state and federal studies are concluded." But she hopes that he will join the opposition.
by CNB